What condition are your band instruments in?

It depends on the line. A Line instruments are brand new, and they arrive with everything new, mouthpiece included. B Line and C Line instruments have been played before. Each of those is stripped down and restored on our bench, then inspected by a professional player or teacher before it goes out, which is the same check we run on every instrument we rent. Anything damaged is replaced rather than passed along, and a cracked or chipped mouthpiece never goes out under any circumstances.

What restoration involves on a woodwind. The instrument is taken apart, the body and mouthpiece are cleaned and sanitized, leaking pads are replaced, tenon corks and key corks and felts are replaced, springs and key heights are checked and regulated, bent keys are straightened, and the instrument is leak tested and then played before it goes back in the case.

What it involves on a brass instrument. The instrument is chemically cleaned and flushed, valve felts are replaced, valves are checked and aligned, the water key cork and its spring are replaced, slides are greased and valves oiled, trombone slides are checked for alignment, dents that affect playing are removed, the mouthpiece is sanitized, and it is played before it goes out.

What restoration involves beyond cleaning. A technician sits with each instrument and makes the adjustments a factory production line does not stop to make. Key heights get set for the way a student actually plays, and leaks that would pass a factory tolerance get chased down. Our C Line is the same house instrument as our A Line, returned from a previous rental and rebuilt.

If you want something specific, ask. On flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone and alto sax we also rent a Premium Yamaha Line, in the models school programs most often specify. You can select it on the rental form. If you or your director have something else in mind, call us and we will tell you what is available.